Heart to Heart
by Miss Scream Queen
Summary: [Major AU]. A new program at Hogwarts makes students converse anonymously through letters, and as hoped, friendships blossom, as well as relationships. Cedric x Hermione R'n R appreciated.


**Note**: This fic is highly, _highly_ AU, and takes place in the trio's fourth year. In order to read this, you'll have to get it through your heads that there was no Triwizard Tournament. Ron Weasley never got to fall in love with Fleur Delacour, and Hermione Granger never got to dance with Viktor Krum. Which in the long run means Cedric Diggory never died. If you aren't a fan of AU fics, I suggest you don't read this. And being that this doesn't center around Harry, I won't talk about Voldemort too much -- I want to focus on a cute relationship.  
**Disclaimer**: JK Rowling is the owner, and I wish I had half the talent she has.

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**Heart to Heart  
****by: Miss Scream Queen**

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**Chapter 01. The Assignment**

"No class; put your books away."

Everyone in the Transfiguration class looked to Professor McGonagall with furrowed brows; put their books _away_? Immediately whispers started to travel throughout the room, and there was only one thing on everyone's minds -- was this a pop quiz? Hermione seemed to be the only one _not_ worrying or having a cow over it, and she almost wanted to laugh at the look on Ron's face as his shoulders slumped and he seemed to be trying to remember something he never studied. She turned away from him and Harry, who was almost mirroring the look completely, except with a little more intelligence thrown in, and glanced towards McGonagall, who seemed utterly let down at having had to say such a thing.

"It would seem our Headmaster has decided to start up a new program," she stated slowly, mouth a thin line. "Something called _Heart to Heart_." She looked around slowly, and the students said nothing, all of them staring blankly at her. "Each of you have been assigned a...pen pal, so to speak, from a different house, and each class, the beginning half will be you composing letters, and the last half will be actual class time. And I'll collect your letters to exchange with your partners."

A soft murmur traveled over them like a wave, and Ron excitedly whispered something to Harry that sounded like, 'less class time.' Hermione threw him a skeptic glance before returning her attention to the professor, who waited for silence.

"And though you will be sharing a lot of your thoughts with this person," she continued, "You are to remain _anonymous_; at least until Professor Dumbledore instructs me otherwise."

Lavender Brown's hand went up slowly, and Professor McGonagall quirked a brow in question.

"How were these pen pals chosen?" she asked curiously.

A few people nodded in agreement, and Hermione's eyes narrowed slightly as she listened; she already had enough homework as it is, but trying to keep up with this might prove a challenge. Not to mention she could end up spilling her guts to someone like Pansy Parkinson -- this very thought made her shudder in repulsion.

"Completely random, Miss Brown." Professor McGonagall said.

Another murmur passed through the students; most of them complaining about who they had a chance of being stuck with, and Harry groaned something under his breath about how with his luck, he'd probably be paired off with Draco Malfoy.

"Well, I assume that most of you understand, and I need not say anything more about it then," Professor McGonagall said, raising her voice just barely to get the class looking at her again, "Am I correct?"

Complete silence was the answer, and she gave a curt nod in approval.

"And I also assume that most, if not all, of you know how to write a letter?" she looked around the room, but received only nods. "Write until I tell you to stop, and then I'll provide you with envelopes."

Hermione raised her hand quickly before Professor McGonagall could turn away. As the teacher gestured to her widely, the student cocked her head slightly.

"What do we write about?" she asked.

The professor almost shrugged, "Whatever you wish," she answered, "At least I'd hope --" she directed this at the rest of the class, who'd all started scrambling for parchment as if this were an exam, " -- that you would encourage intelligent conversation with your pals...though I know you might be paired off with someone from a lower...level." This remark was softer than the rest. "Any other questions?"

Hermione raised her hand again.

"Yes, Miss Granger?"

"Is this a grade?" she asked.

Professor McGonagall looked almost deflated at this question, and shook her head. "I don't think so," she answered, "Just something to improve the friendships of students here at Hogwarts."

Lavender's hand went up again, and Professor McGonagall looked to her.

"Will _you_ be reading these?" she asked.

"No," McGonagall answered shortly, "These are confidential to the partners."

And with that she turned and walked around her desk to seat herself in front of a nice stack of homework assignments that needed grading. Hermione's brow furrowed slightly, and she grabbed for her bag to pull out supplies. Ron was staring darkly at the piece of parchment before him, while Harry had already started scribbling something down.

"Well this assignment is bloody stupid," the redhead grumbled. "I bet I'll be paired off with some bloke from Slytherin."

"You won't _be_ paired up with someone," Hermione answered shortly, "You've already _been_ paired up with someone."

Ron rolled his eyes, and dipped his quill in Harry's ink. "All I'm saying is, what can I talk about with some bloke from Slytherin?" he asked.

It was Hermione's turn to roll her eyes, and instead of making the comment she wanted to make (about how Ron had no idea who he was paired up with), she began writing. She first dated her letter, and then wrote:

_Dear_

She quickly raised her quill, not knowing how to address her pal. Her dark gaze lifted to Professor McGonagall, but the woman was engrossed in grading, a hand massaging her temple as she scribbled on someone's homework fiercely. Hermione gave a sigh and glanced at Ron's letter.

_Hey,  
__I don't know you, and you don't know me.  
__Nice to meet you.  
__Have a great day._

"Ron," Hermione said, "You can't possibly mean to hand that in."

He glanced at her incredulously. "Why not?" he demanded, "She isn't going to read them."

"It's..." she trailed off slightly, "So..empty."

Ron rolled his eyes once more, "Well, I'm not goin' to tell this guy the biography of me." he said, "I doubt anyone in this school cares whether or not my favorite color is green."

Hermione sighed, and looked passed him to Harry, who'd stopped writing and was now staring at his letter with a look of concentration on his face.

"What did you write, Harry?" she asked.

He side-glanced her and sighed. "Well, I introduced myself _without_ introducing myself as best as I could." he answered, "Told them I was a fourth year, and was really only doing this because I have to."

Hermione nodded, and looked back down at her parchment. "How did you address them?" she asked.

"I didn't." he answered simply.

Silence soon followed as most of the students were busy composing their letters. A few of them scratched out words here and there, making faces of: '_Oh no! I can't tell them _that' Ron was slowly starting to nod off, and Hermione still hadn't written anything. She gave an annoyed sigh, before diving into it and trying to come up with something remotely intelligent.

_Dear You,  
__Well, I assume the professor has already told you about this  
__assignment, so I have no need to explain myself, I guess.  
__In case you can't tell, I really don't know how to start this,  
__usually when one writes to a pen pal they're allowed to introduce  
__themselves by name.  
__So to start off without the name bit, I'm a fourth year girl, and I'm from...  
__well, I don't know if we're allowed to talk about which house we're  
__from, so I'll leave it at that.  
__Erm..well, I can guarantee a more interesting letter once I receive your reply,  
__so until then, I guess I'll leave it at this.  
__Sincerely,  
__Me._

She set her quill down and reread her letter at least fifty times, and shook her head, battling with herself as to whether or not she wanted to keep it that way. She was just reaching for her quill to change something, when Professor McGonagall told them all to stop, and was already passing out envelopes. A few people quickly exclaimed that they needed more time, but she ignored them.

"I'll be organizing these into folders so I'll know whose is whose," she said, "Being that they _are_ anonymous and all."

A mousy girl quickly scratched out something in her letter -- she'd accidentally signed her name. Hermione quickly accepted her envelope and neatly, yet hastily, shoved her letter into it; if it stayed out any longer she may have been tempted to edit it. Ron lazily put his own letter into an envelope, throwing little glares up at Professor McGonagall as if it were her fault they had to do this, and Harry's movements more mirrored Hermione's.

As Professor McGonagall started to collect the envelopes, after having picked up a file folder of sorts, Hermione rested her chin in her hand, trying to imagine what kind of person it was that she'd been paired with. She hoped she'd get someone fun to talk to, at least someone with half a brain. Maybe she even hoped it was someone she could see herself hanging out with personally in the future.

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Cedric Diggory stared at the envelope on the table in front of him as Professor McGonagall explained the _Heart to Heart_ program a little more clearer. Apparently they each already had chosen pen pals, and these letters were from said pen pals. A part of him was thinking about what a stupid 'program' this was, while another part of him was somewhat excited. As McGonagall gave the word, he, along with the rest in his class, reached for their letters and tore into them.

He was met with a neat and somewhat swirly handwriting -- he couldn't explain why, but he was somewhat thankful that he'd been paired with a girl. Though a quick thought crossed his mind that it could've been some ditzy little first year. He felt himself smirk at the way he'd been addressed -- '_dear you_' -- sounded like something he would've written.

His gray eyes moved swiftly down the page, and the smirk stayed on his face as he finished the letter -- of course it was signed, '_me_'. So he was paired with a fourth year girl? That might be promising. At least she sounded smart enough.

He quickly pulled out his own parchment and quill to write her a reply.

_Dear Fourth Year Girl,  
__Very nice to meet you..or in this case, read something of yours.  
__And yes, Professor McGonagall has made quite clear what this little  
__thing is about. I can't imagine why the headmaster's come up with  
__such a program; I must admit I'm not too keen on doing this -- no offense  
__to you at all of course.  
__Anyway, I'm a year six, and I don't even care if we're supposed to mention  
__our houses, I'm a Hufflepuff. I hope you decide to tell me your house; though  
__I do hope you don't say Slytherin.  
__Well, I'm going to end this letter with a 'How are you?' just because that'll  
__provoke an interesting response from you, which in turn will provoke  
__an interesting response from me, until we're soon writing interesting responses  
__back and forth.  
__Sincerely,  
__Sixth Year Boy_

He quickly folded it up so as not to fret about changing things, and he set it in front of him, reaching up to place his hands behind his head. This might not be _so_ bad; it might even be fun. Who knew what the fourth year girl and he could become -- friends? Enemies? More? Only time would tell, he guessed.

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**TBC...**

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**Note**: This is my first actual Harry Potter fanfic (I deal in other fandoms), and I would really appreciate some feedback. :)


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